Most Fantasy Premier League (FPL) squads will generally contain at least one budget enabler, but now the 2023/24 season is underway, which are the most desirable?
Here we look through the cheapest starting players in FPL Gameweek 1.
GOALKEEPERS
| Player | Team | Price | Minutes | Ownership |
| Matt Turner | Nottingham Forest | £4.0m | 90 | 14.2% |
| Alphonse Areola | West Ham United | £4.0m | 90 | 23.3% |
Two £4.0m goalkeepers started for their clubs in Gameweek 1.
Matt Turner (£4.0m) had a decent debut against his old club Arsenal, making a number of fine saves, and many will be starting him in Gameweek 2 against Sheffield United, when Andre Onana (£5.0m), Sam Johnstone (£4.5m) and Jordan Pickford (£4.5m) face tougher fixtures.
Nottingham Forest may further bolster their goalkeeping options before the transfer window slams shut, but for now, Turner is first-choice.
As for Alphonse Areola (£4.0m), he got the nod over Lukasz Fabianski (£4.5m) for West Ham United and generally did well, registering four saves.
David Moyes discussed his selection after the game:
“Lukasz Fabianski has been sensational for us in the time I’ve been here. The way he goes about his job is tremendous and everything he does is very, very good. But the decision, on this occasion, was to give Alphonse the chance to stake a claim to the no. 1. If you don’t play well, then you’ve got somebody else breathing down your neck.” – David Moyes
DEFENDERS
| Player | Team | Price | Minutes | Ownership |
| Jan Paul van Hecke | Brighton and Hove Albion | £4.0m | 90 | 1.3% |
| Ameen Al-Dakhil | Burnley | £4.0m | 90 | 0.6% |
| Mads Andersen | Luton Town | £4.0m | 90 | 0.8% |
| Amari’i Bell | Luton Town | £4.0m | 90 | 9.1% |
| George Baldock | Sheffield United | £4.0m | 90 | 15.3% |
| Chris Basham | Sheffield United | £4.0m | 90 | 0.4% |
| Jordan Beyer | Burnley | £4.0m | 73 | 4.8% |
| Issa Kabore | Luton Town | £4.0m | 63 | 6.5% |
As expected, the three newly-promoted clubs offered the majority of cut-price options in defence.
On Friday, Ameen Al-Dakhil (£4.0m) played most of the match on the left of the back three for Burnley, but Jordan Beyer (£4.0m) was arguably the better performer up until his withdrawal on 73 minutes, as he looked to be suffering with cramp.
No Burnley player won more tackles or made more interceptions/clearances than Beyer, which you can explore in much greater detail here.
Over at Sheffield United, George Baldock (£4.0m) played well at right wing-back in Paul Heckingbottom’s 3-5-2 formation. No team-mate in any position received more passes (12) in the final third, an encouraging stat for his 15.3% ownership.
Above: George Baldock’s touch heatmap v Crystal Palace
Staying with the Blades, Chris Basham (£4.0m) was a surprise starter, lining up out of position in central midfield. This could have been a specific tactic to shackle Eberechi Eze (£6.5m) but just as likely due to the shortage of fully-fit midfielders. With Vini Souza (£5.0m) and Anis Slimane (£5.0m) closer to match fitness and Gus Hamer now on board, don’t count on many more starts for Basham.
Meanwhile, three £4.0m defenders started for Luton Town at the Amex – Mads Andersen, Amari’i Bell and Issa Kabore.
The latter, who won’t be beaten for pace very often this year, was deployed as an attacking right wing-back and put three crosses into the box. He also created an Opta-defined ‘big chance’, but was subbed off on 63 minutes as Rob Edwards looked to freshen up his side.
Elsewhere, Jan Paul van Hecke (£4.0m) partnered Lewis Dunk (£5.0m) at the back for Brighton and Hove Albion, but the return of Adam Webster (£4.5m) from injury casts doubt over his future prospects.
Bournemouth’s James Hill (£4.0m, 15’), Chelsea’s Malo Gusto (£4.0m, 14’) and Crystal Palace’s James Tomkins (£4.0m, 1’) didn’t start but did get some minutes off the bench.
MIDFIELDERS
| Player | Team | Price | Minutes | Ownership |
| Sasa Lukic | Fulham | £4.5m | 90 | 0.4% |
| Marvelous Nakamba | Luton Town | £4.5m | 90 | 1.4% |
| Carney Chukwuemeka | Chelsea | £4.5m | 80 | 3.1% |
Only three £4.5m midfielders started over the weekend.
Sasa Lukic (£4.5m) joined Harrison Reed (£5.0m) in the Fulham engine room at Goodison Park. He had a solid pre-season and carried that form into Gameweek 1, although the return of Joao Palhinha (£5.0m) from injury will likely see him drop out of the starting XI.
A more secure starter is Marvelous Nakamba (£4.5m), who sits at the base of Luton Town’s midfield. Just don’t expect attacking returns: he took only six shots, and as many key passes, in 20 appearances last term, and managed just three final-third touches at the Amex on Saturday.
Carney Chukwuemeka (£4.5m) had some good moments down Chelsea’s left-hand side against Liverpool, linking well with Ben Chilwell (£5.5m). The youngster failed to register a shot or create a chance but was active in the penalty box, racking up five touches.
Mauricio Pochettino trusts in youth and this could benefit the 19-year-old, but he isn’t the finished article and it’s too early to say if he’ll become a regular starter.
Many other £4.5m midfielders got minutes off the bench, as detailed below.
- Shandon Baptiste (Brentford, 18 mins)
- Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur, 15 mins)
- Ben Doak (Liverpool, 13 mins)
- Lewis Dobbin (Everton, 7 mins)
- Jaden Philogene-Bidace (Aston Villa, 3 mins)
- Andre Brooks (Sheffield United, 3 mins)
- Lesley Ugochukwu (Chelsea, 1 min)
- James McAtee (Manchester City, 1 min)
- Elliot Anderson (Newcastle United, 1 min)
FORWARDS
| Player | Team | Price | Minutes | Ownership |
| William Osula | Sheffield United | £4.5m | 90 | 1.7% |
Sheffield United’s William Osula was the only £4.5m forward to start in Gameweek 1.
The 20-year-old came close with a curling effort early on and put in a real shift up top, always looking to use his pace to get in behind.
However, longer-term, regular starts aren’t guaranteed, with Oli McBurnie (£5.5m) and Daniel Jebbison (£5.0m) currently out injured and further arrivals expected.
“Yeah pleased, I think where he was this time last season, he’s improved again which was great. He’s by no means finished, you could see that, and he knows to stick in the team is going to be very difficult when we get the players we want and the injuries back.” – Paul Heckingbottom on William Osula
Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo (£4.5m, 15’), Sheff Utd’s Antwoine Hackford (£4.5m, 3’) and Luton Town’s Cauley Woodrow (£4.5m, 2’) didn’t start but did get some minutes off the bench, with the former grabbing an assist against West Ham United.
